These Peque Gallaga Films Changed the Philippine Film Industry
Peque Gallaga was a visionary filmmaker. One way to describe his work is experimental. He delved into unchartered territories of genre filmmaking and found the Filipino palate had a taste for such creations. On many occasions, audiences were scandalized, but nonetheless, the filmmaker showcased his versatility with historical dramas (Oro Plata Mata), sci-fi (Batang X), fantasy (Magic Temple), horror (Shake, Rattle, and Roll), and even erotic thrillers (Scorpio Nights).
The following are just a few of Gallaga’s most iconic films that revolutionized how genre films are created in the Philippine film industry.
Oro, Plata, Mata (1982)
Oro, Plata, Mata (Gold, Silver, Death) is considered Gallaga’s greatest contribution to Philippine cinema. It depicts the downfall of a wealthy family of sugar barons in Negros during World War II. Gallaga captured scenes from unconventional angles and vantage points producing unique cinematography. It won numerous local and international awards for best picture, best cinematography, best production design, and best direction.
Shake, Rattle, and Roll (1984)
Gallaga co-directed the original horror anthology film that has spawned dozens of sequels through the years. It has three segments: Baso (directed by Emmanuel Borlaza), Pridyider (directed by Ishmael Bernal), and Manananggal (directed by Gallaga). In Manananggal, actor Herbert Bautista courts a beautiful lady who turns out to be a manananggal—a vampire creature with the ability to sever its upper torso and sprout wings.
Scorpio Nights (1985)
Every teenage boy in the mid-’80s had a bootleg Betamax copy of this classic erotic thriller. It’s about an adulterous affair between a young man and a married woman who couldn’t control their sexual urges. Scorpio Nights became the blueprint for erotic films produced in the Philippines in the decades that followed.
Batang X (1995)
In Batang X, Gallaga ventured into the untested realm of sci-fi cinema, featuring five kids with superhman abilities fighting against an alien enemy. The kids were kidnapped by an alien named Dr. Axis (Aiko Melendez) to help her find a powerful fuel for her spacecraft. Its popularity spawned a comic book series and a television show.
Magic Temple (1996)
Magic Temple is Gallaga’s most successful fantasy film. It won all 14 nominations including best film and best cinematography at the 1996 Metro Manila Film Festival. The film is set in the magical world of Samadhi, which is threatened by the sorceress Ravenal (Jacki Lou Blanco). Sifu (Jun Urbano) sends out three teenage boys to the Magic Temple to stop her.
Baby Love (1995)
Gallaga ruffled many feathers among parents and churchgoers when he created Baby Love with Lore Reyes. It is a highly controversial film about two prepubescent kids named Andie (Anna Larrucea) and Ira (Jason Salcedo) who run away and attempt to get married. Their parents are outraged, but eventually realize it was their own fault their children were behaving scandalously. When the film was released, it faced furious opposition from the church, Catholic schools, and parents’ groups.
